Families, friends, well-known members and supporters of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community gathered Wednesday on 6th June at Wood Quay in Dublin to announce the launch of the Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival. Guests were welcomed at Dublin’s City Council Offices, a location synonymous with the Pride movement, for a sneak preview of the festival programme, entitled ‘We are Family’. A number of our colleagues from the were also in attendance to show their support for the launch as lead sponsor, which marked 35 years of Dublin Pride.

Prominent figures from within the LGBTQ+ community and well-known supporters mingled as they sipped ice-cold G&Ts, which proved to be especially refreshing on a warm summer’s evening. The jovial atmosphere grew to palpable excitement as guests continued to gather in anticipation of the official launch announcement. Insightful and empowering speeches were delivered by spokespeople from a cross-section of society, including Chairperson of Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride, Clodagh Leonard Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Michael Mac Donncha, CEO of Pieta House, Brian Higgins as well as Tesco’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Christine Heffernan.

Christine Heffernan, Director of Corporate Affairs, Tesco said: “Tesco is a place where everyone can get on, so we are truly delighted to support the Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride festival 2018”

Among the guests were well known faces such as TV3 presenter, Alan Hughes along with his husband Karl Broderick. Also spotted were journalist and broadcaster Charlie Bird, former TV3 Political Editor, Ursula Halligan along with Senator Fintan Warfield, Sinn Fein.